Apparatus for repairing dikes and dams



(No Model.)

G. DEMBRUN. APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING DIKES AND DAMS. No. 342,077.

Patented May 18, 1886.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

N. PEYERS. Phom-Linm m hor. Washmgion, D. c.

GUILLAUME DEMBRIIN, OF NEWV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING DlKES AND DAMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 34:2,0'I7, dated May 18, 1886.

Application filed January 6, 1886. Serial No. 187,780. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUILLAUME DEMBRUN, of NewOrleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Repairing Dikes or Dams, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a temporary abutment which may be placed in position to protect a break in a dike, dam, or levee, so as to prevent water from rushing through said break at the time that it is being repaired.

To this end my invention consists of a port able frame-work and apparatus, to be hereinafter described. I

Reference is to be had to the accompanying in which similar'letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view-of my im proved apparatus for repairing dams, representing the parts as they appear before they are put in place; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the construction of the canvassheet employed to cover the frame-work after it is placed in position in front of the break to be repaired.

Referring now to the general construction illustrated in the drawings, A is the dam or dike in which there is a break, as shown at B. In order to repair such a break as is illustrated, I first build an interior and triangular supporting frame-work by driving posts 0 O in substantially the position shown in the drawings, and in front of the break B. These posts 0 O are braced by timbers a a and crossbars 0 Z), and at the same time act as the supports for said timbers and bars.

.I-Iaving placed this triangular framework in the position shown and described, I drive four other posts in substantially the relative position shown-that is, two posts, D and D, just beyond the apex of the triangular frame, and two other posts, E and E, close up against the dike or dam A. Through the top of each of these posts there is an aperture, as shown at c c. After all of the posts have been driven, as described, I pass a cord, 0, fixed near the lower outer corner of a palisa-de, F, and pass said cord up through the aperture in the post D or D, as the case may be, generally preferring to first place the palisade in position upon the upstream side of the framework. A second cord, f, fixed near the lower inner corner of the palisade, is passed through the aperture of the inner posts, E or E, the first cord named being also carried through said aperture. In this way the palisade may be, as it were, suspended, and may be drawn to place against the outer face of the framework by a cord, g, fixed near the lower edge of the inner face of the said palisade, the force of the water being sufficient to hold the palisade against the outer face of the framework after its inner lower edge has been drawn to place as described.

Upon the left in Fig. 1 the palisade is represented invertical position against the .face of the frame-work; but on the right the inner edge is shown as having been just drawn to place, the water not having acted to force the palisade to a vertical position.

After both of the palisades are in position I cover their outer faces with sheets of canvas, as shown at H, a pocket, I, being formed at the lower edge of said sheets H, which pocket is filled with sand, gravel, or any other heavy substance, which will act to hold the lower edge of the sheet to the bottom of the river or other body of water,while ropes, as h h, are secured at convenient points along the upper edge of the sheet. A sufficientnumber of these sheets H are used to cover the outer faces of the palisades.

Vith such an apparatus asI have described the space in front of a break, as B, may be thoroughly inclosed, so that the water at that point may be drawn off in order that the break may be conveniently repaired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for repairing dikes or dams, the combination, with a central supporting frame-work, of outer posts, D D, palisades, and canvassheets, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for repairing breaks in dikes or dams, the combination, with an inner supporting framework, of palisades F, sheets H, formed with pockets I, and provided with ropes or binding-cords h, substantially as described.

GUILLAUME DEMBRUN. Witnesses:

AUGUSTIN LAMOTHE, 1?. G. LABARRE, Tn on. Snunnr. Mlrrnnnu. 

